Cause for concern: QualityWatch annual statement 2014

"The past year has seen an increasing number of signs that historic improvements in quality are not being sustained in some areas, or have even reversed. Stress signals we first identified in 2013 are now becoming even stronger and apparent in a wider range of services."

Cause for concern: QualityWatch annual statement 2014
The Health Foundation, Nuffield Trust
October 2014

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Determinants of treatment plan implementation in multidisciplinary team meetings for patients with chronic diseases

"Greater multidisciplinarity is not necessarily associated with more effective decision making. Explicit goals and procedures are also crucial. Decision implementation should be routinely monitored to ensure the equitable provision of care."

Determinants of treatment plan implementation in multidisciplinary team meetings for patients with chronic diseases: a mixed-methods study
R Raine et al.
BMJ Quality and Safety 2014;23:867-876

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Knowledge strategy: harnessing the power of information to improve the public’s health

"This document describes the strategic approach to information and knowledge that the public health system needs to take in order to improve and protect public health and reduce inequalities. It is a response on behalf of the whole public health system, under the leadership of PHE, to the Department of Health information strategy, The Power of Information: Putting all of us in control of the health and care information we need."

Knowledge strategy: harnessing the power of information to improve the public’s health
Public Health England
June 2014

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Tackling health inequalities: the case for investment in the wider public health workforce

"In this report we look at the evidence for engaging the ‘wider workforce’ and particularly the role of health trainers and champions in supporting behaviour change within their own communities, providing peer-to-peer support from a position of understanding and common ground. The investment in them is, in light of the economic cost of treating illness, money well spent."

Tackling health inequalities: the case for investment in the wider public health workforce
Royal Society for Public Health
June 2014

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Enabling better access to primary care for vulnerable populations

"This short report focuses on models of primary care that are designed to promote registration with and access to good primary and continuing care on an equitable basis."

Promising practice: enabling better access to primary care for vulnerable populations – examples of good local practice
Inclusion Health
April 2014

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Annual Report of the CMO: On the state of the public’s health

"I strongly believe that data and scientific evidence should be at the heart of policy making and advice to government. Data should be used to inform our prioritisation of action and to evaluate the effectiveness of such action; scientific evidence should be used to determine what actions should be taken." 

Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer, Surveillance Volume, 2012: On the state of the public’s health
Department of Health
March 2014

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Improving the public's health: a resource for local authorities

"This resource presents information on evidence-based actions that can help local authorities increase the impact of their activities on health – and demonstrate that impact to others."

Improving the public's health: a resource for local authorities
D Buck, S Gregory
The King's Fund
December 2013

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Engaging with Black and Minority Ethnic communities

"We see many examples in the NHS of where ‘barrier busting’ is happening, led by inspirational and dedicated leaders. This paper highlights just some of these examples, detailing ways in which providers and commissioners have developed innovative solutions and approaches to better cater for and engage with BME communities."

Engaging with BME communities: insights for impact
NHS Confederation
June 2013

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High quality healthcare commissioning

"The aim of the paper is to describe typical elements of commissioning work and to point out a range of actions that clinical commissioners, commissioning managers and other stakeholders can and should take to improve healthcare commissioning for multi-ethnic populations."

High quality healthcare commissioning: obstacles and opportunities for progress on race equality
S Salway, D Turner, G Mir, L Carter, J Skinner, B Bostan, K Gerrish, G Ellison
Better Health Briefing 28
Race Equality Foundation
June 2013

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Operating principles for joint strategic needs assessments and joint health and wellbeing strategies

"JSNAs and JHWSs are not ends in themselves, but a means to identify the priorities for commissioning to improve health and wellbeing outcomes and reduce health inequalities."

Operating principles for joint strategic needs assessments and joint health and wellbeing strategies
NHS Confederation
November 2012

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Atlas of variation in healthcare for people with kidney disease

"The aims in publishing the NHS Atlas of Variation in Healthcare for People with Kidney Disease are twofold.

1. To identify variation not only in the quality of kidney care but also in the availability of certain treatments across England
2. To suggest reasons for variation and the ways in which that variation could be addressed to increase value." 

Atlas of variation in healthcare for people with kidney disease
NHS Right Care
June 2012

Read more here.

Impact of the economic downturn and policy changes on health inequalities in London

"This literature review is the first stage in work aimed at assessing and monitoring the impact of the recession and welfare reforms on health inequalities in London."

Impact of the economic downturn and policy changes on health inequalities in London
UCL Institute of Health Equity
June 2012

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Atlas of optical variation - enhanced eye health services in England

"This map shows which community eye care pathways are available where, according to the current arrangement of PCT clusters."

Atlas of optical variation - enhanced eye health services in England
Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU)
June 2012

Access the map of local eye care services here.

Atlas of variation in healthcare for people with diabetes

"The aim of the Diabetes Atlas is to identify and quantify the extent of ‘unwarranted’ variation that may be due to unjustified geographical differences in medical practice and/or patients not gaining access to the appropriate level of intervention for their need."

Atlas of variation in healthcare for people with diabetes
NHS Right Care
June 2012

Read more here.

Atlas of variations in social care

"The atlas examines initiatives to improve care services including additional funds for social care from the NHS and how this resource is being spent."

An atlas of variations in social care: an analysis of the quality of social care services in England
MHP Health Mandate
June 2012

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Health systems, health, wealth and societal well-being

This book looks at how health systems are part of improving health and achieving better economic growth.

Health systems, health, wealth and societal well-being
Edited by J Figueras, M McKee
May 2012

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Inequalities in utilisation of general practitioner and specialist services

"In summary, large inequalities were observed in the utilisation of specialist care that are not compensated for by the use of GP services."

Inequalities in utilisation of general practitioner and specialist services in 9 European countries
I Stirbu, AE Kunst, A Mielck, JP Mackenbach
BMC Health Services Research, 2011, 11:288

Read more here.